Process of treating wood



Y 2,111,494 PATENT o1=1=1c1z PROCESS OF TREATING WOOD Charles F.Preston, Sr., Harrison, N. Y., assignor, by direct and mesneassignments, to Lignose,

Ina, Mamaroneck, N.

New York Y., a corporation of No Drawing. Application January 24, 1936,Serial No. 60,710

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a process of treating wood, and moreparticularly to a process by which various of the so-called soft andrelatively inexpensive woods, such as pine and other soft woods, sotreated that its surface will be made to resemble in appearance theharder and relatively expensive woods, such as mahogany, walnut,rosewood, teak, and the like.

The object of the invention is to so treat the surface of wood having anatural grain, that the fats or gums forming the grain will not only beimpregnated with a dye or stain fused therein but will also be hardened,while at the same time removing a portion of the treated surface to agreater or less degree during the finishing operation, thus producing afinished surface in which the natural grain is emphasized in contrastwith the adjacent surface composed of soft and spongy fibers, therebyproducing a highly ornamental surface closely imitating the appearanceof the harder and more expensive woods.

With the foregoing object in view, my invention may be said to consistof a process of finishing the surface of wood by applying thereto a dyeor stain containing a mild form of acid which acts upon and softens theexposed surface of the grain fats or gums and immediately thereaftersubjecting the surface to the action of heat of a temperature suflicientto dry the surface and to soften the grain fats and gums and cause thedye or stain to be absorbed thereby and fixed therein in the exposedsurface thereof.

In carrying out my invention the dye or stain or fusing compound will beapplied to the surface to be treated. This dye or stain will preferablybe one containing any usual form of coal tar coloring such as an anilinedye. Before applying it to the surface of the wood there will be addedthereto a small amount of vinegar or other form of mild acid, and insome instances a small amount of sugar. When applied to the surface ofthe wood the dye or stain will be absorbed to a considerable degree, andwherever the fatty grain gum is exposed it will to a certain extent besoftened permitting the dye to be absorbed thereby. Immediately afterapplying the dye or stain compound to the surface to be treated, it issubjected to heat applied directly thereto by any suitable heating meansas, for instance, by a torch passed rapidly over the surface or closelyadjacent thereto. The heat treatment should not be continued long enoughto produce a scorching effect, but only to that extent required to drythe surface and to soften the grain fats or gums and blend the coloringtherewith. After heating and drying, the grain fats or gums will becomerelatively hard with the result that the dye or color is permanentlyincorporated therein.

1 next treat the surface with any suitable abrading tool as, forinstance, a wire brush, to remove a portion thereof, and as the fattygrains and gums are much harder than the adjacent soft and spongyfibers, this abrasive treatment will effect a polishing of the surfacethereof bringing out the color or tint, producing a contrasting shade ofthe natural grain with the adjacent soft fibers. This abrasive treatmentwill be continued until suificient of the surface has been removed toproduce the desired color tone and the harmonious blending of the darkershades of color in the natural grain with the contrasting lighter shadesin the adjacent softer fibers.

Thereafter if desired, and to produce a highly polished surface, it issubjected to a waxing and polishing brush in the usual manner. The waxemployed may be one having a color blended therewith, and this waxingand polishing operation may be continued indefinitely or until thesurface has the desired flnish.

Before subjecting the surface to the waxing and polishing operation, ifa harmonious blending of tone is desired, such as that known asgray-green or other blended tone, this may be applied so that it will betaken up by the soft and spongy fibers adjacent the hard, fatty, grainsurface.

It may be pointed out that the heat treatment immediately following theapplication of the dyeing or coloring liquid compound softens thenaturally fatty gums of the wood and fixes the color therein byproducing a liquid steam action,- and that after the heat treatment thefatty grains when dry become much harder which, under the action of thewire brush and subsequent finishing, present a highly polished surface.

I claim:

1. The method of finishing the surface of wood having a natural fattygrain exposed thereon, which comprises the following: applying a staincontaining a mild acid to the said surface, subjecting the stainedsurface to heat of a temperature to soften the exposed fat or gumforming the natural fatty grain to impregnate and fix the stain thereinand thereafter abrading the stained surface to remove a portion of thesofter spongy surface to emphasize the natural fatty 2. The method ofthe surface of wood having a natural fatty grain exposed thereon, whichcomprises the following: applying a stain containing a weak solution ofacetic acid to'the said surface, subjecting the stainedsurface to heatof a temperature to soften the exposed fat or gum forming the naturalgrain to impregnate and fix the stain therein and thereafter abrad-. ingthe stained surface to reinove a'portion thereof, and finally waxing andpolishing the surface.

CHARLES I". PRESTON, SI.

